Fireplace screen and hanger



Dec. 29, 1953 E. A. EV ERS FIREPLACE SCREEN AND HANGER Filed Dec. 8, 1951 I ll 24 2 INVENTOR. EdwardA.Evers Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREPLACE SCREEN AND HANGER Edward A. Evers, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 8, 1951, Serial No. 260,647

5 Claims.

This invention relates to fireplace curtains and has as its general object to provide an improved fireplace curtain apparatus of the type utilizing a series of freely hanging chain elements suspended in front of a fireplace and adapted to be parted at any point to provide access to the fireplace.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting mechanism for sus pending a series of fireplace curtain elements at their upper ends, in a plane immediately forward of the front face of the fireplace. A further object is to provide an improved combination of curtain mounting means including novel mounting bracket means, a supporting rod, and a curtain particularly adapted for cooperation with the bracket means.

Another object is to provide a mounting bracket means having novel means for anchoring the same within a fireplace.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fireplace equipped with my improved fireplace curtain;

Fig. 2 is a detail fragmentary front view, partially in section, of the supporting rod and curtain;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the mounting bar of the supporting bracket;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the curtain mounting bar;

Fig. 6 is an end view of one end of the supporting bar; and

Fig. 7 is an end view of the other end of the supporting bar.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I have shown in the drawing a fireplace curtain assembly embodying generally a supporting bracket unit A and a curtain and rod assembly C comprising a series of chain elements l0, l0 suspended at their upper ends from a supporting rod 26, hanging freely, and unconnected at their lower ends.

Such a curtain has the advantage of allowing the insertion of wood or tools into the fireplace opening by simply parting the chain elements In at any selected point.

The supporting bracket unit A comprises a mounting bar I l and a pair of bracket fingers l2 having forwardly projecting portions l3 which are hooked upwardly at their forward ends to provide rests in which the supporting rod 26 is cradled as indicated in Fig. 3. Mounting bar II is of sectional, telescoping construction including a tubular main body section 14 and an extension section [5 which comprises a short length of threaded rod loosely telescoped into one end of tubular body section M. The other end of tubular body section l4 has an integral lip l6 (Fig. 6). Projecting axially therefrom and engageable in one of the slots I 1 between the upper tiers of bricks l8 lining the sides of the fireplace opening and the supporting arch bar l9 which supports the bricks immediately below the mantle 20 of the fireplace. The extension section l5 (Fig. 7) has a non-circular (e. g. hexagonal) head 2| which is provided with an integral, axially extending lip 22 receivable in a slot I! at the other end of the fireplace opening. Threaded onto the extension section I 5 is a nut 23 which provides an adjustable abutment for a coil spring 24 that is engaged under compression between the end of tubular body section l4 and extension section l5. By rotating nut 23 upon extension section l5 and thus changing its position along the length of the extension section, the length of the supporting bar may be adjusted to the width of the particular fireplace in which it is being installed, and the compression load of spring 24 may be maintained at the proper value to allow insertion of the supporting bar into the fireplace opening with the respective ends of the bar engaging the sides of the fireplace'under sufficient compression to maintain the lips i6, 22 securely ongaged in the slots l1. Thus supporting bar H is anchored in the fireplace and adequately supported to carry the load of the rod and screen C.

Bracket fingers l2 extend through radially opposed openings in bar section I l and include tail portions 25 which are inclined upwardly so that their rear ends lie in the plane of the upper side of member I4, whereby said rear ends may bear upwardly against the under face of arch bar Hi. It will now be apparent that with the ends of supporting bar ll fulcrummed against th sides of the fireplace and with tail members 25 braced against the arch bar 19, the forwardly projecting portions l3 of fingers [2 will be securely positioned to adequately support the weight of rod and screen C.

The rod includes a tubular body portion 26 and heads 21 secured to the respective ends thereof in any suitable manner. Body portion 26 has a longitudinal slit 28 in which is received a mounting clip 29 of Y-bar construction including a fiat body portion provided with a series of apertures 30 into which the upper links of the chain elements ID are hooked. The upper portion of clip 29 includes a series of finger portions 3| bent alternately in opposite directions for engagement against the inner wall of rod 26, to support the clip therein, with the flat body portion of the clip extending downwardly through slit 28. Clip 29 is provided with two notches 32 positioned to receive the bracket fingers [3. Cli 29 may be inserted into or removed from rod 25 by detaching one of the heads 21 and sliding the clip longitudinally into or out of the bar.

Chain elements [0 are terminated short of clip 29, to define openings 33 in the curtain, for accommodating the bracket fingers 13. Chain elements 19 are supported upon cross links 34 bridging between the chain elements II] on either side of chain element It).

I claim:

1. In a fireplace curtain structure, a bracket structure comprising a mounting bar having transverse openings therein and having at its end means for anchoring the sam to the respective side walls of a fireplace, and a plurality of bracket fingers GZtClldillQ, diametrically through said openings and each having a forwardly projecting portion for supporting a fireplace curtain rod and a rearwardly projecting tail portion engageable against the under surface of the head of the fireplace, to brace said mounting bar against rotation about its own longitudinal axis, whereby said bracket fingers are securely supported while carrying the weight of a fireplace curtain and its supporting rod.

2. In a fireplace curtain structure, a bracket structure comprising a mounting bar having at its end means for anchoring the same to the respective side walls of a fireplace opening, and a plurality of bracket fingers each secured intermediate its ends to said bar and extending transversely thereof, and each having a forwardly projecting portion for supporting a fireplace curtain rod and a rearwardly projecting tail portion en- 5 gageable against the under surface of the head of the fireplace, to brace said mounting bar against rotation about its own longitudinal axis, whereby said bracket fingers are securely supported while carrying the weight of a fireplace a curtain and its supporting rod.

3. A fireplace curtain structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said mounting bar has at its respective ends, axially projecting lips for engagein the said side walls of the fireplace opening, for taking the downward loads imposed on said mounting bar.

4. Fireplace curtain apparatus as defined in claim 3, including, in combination with said mounting bracket means, a curtain rod, a plurality of chain elements suspended from said curtain rod at their upper ends, a majority of said chain elements being directly supported from said curtain rod and some of said chain elements being directly supported from adjacent chain elements slightly below said curtain rod, their upper ends being spaced therefrom to define openings to receive said bracket fingers.

5. In a fireplace curtain assembly, a supporting bracket unit comprising a mounting bar, said mounting bar including a tubular body section and an extension section having diametrically opposed openings therein loosely telescoped into one end thereof, said tubular body section having at its other end a, lip projecting axially beyond said other end and engageable in one side of a fireplace, said shaft section having a head provided with a lip engageable in the opp Side of the fireplace, resilient means interposed between said extension section and said tubular body section for yieldingly pressing the respective ends of said mounting bar against the respective sides of the fireplace and maintaining said lips in engagement in said mortar slots, and bracket fingers anchored in said mounting bar and projecting forwardly for supporting a fireclace curtain rod, said bracket fingers extending through said openings in said tubular body section, and having rearwardly projecting tail portions engageable against the under surface of the head of the fireplace, for bracing said mounting bar against rotation about its longitudinal axis, thereby to securely position said bracket fingers for carrying the weight of a fireplace curtain.

EDWARD A. EVERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 418,713 Griswold Jan. 7, 1890 609,236 Law Aug. 16, 1898 1,768,206 Lemons et al June 24, 1930 1,835,644 Grassi Dec. 8, 1931 2,181,232 Hagg Nov. 28, 1939 2,210,606 Speranza Aug. 6, 1940 2,211,482 Turner 1. Aug. 13, 1940 2,275,236 Shannon Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,257 Great Britain 1892 

